JPS644231B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (b) Industrial application fields The present invention relates to a product delivery device for a vending machine.

(B) Conventional technology A spiral as a product delivery mechanism is arranged vertically in a product storage column, and the spiral is rotated a predetermined amount by rotation of a drive motor based on a product delivery command, and is locked between the helices of the spiral. In a vending machine in which the stored lowest item is dropped from the bottom end during this predetermined rotation, a cam that rotates with the rotation of the spiral is provided, a position detection switch is arranged in correspondence with this cam, and the drive motor is The structure is such that a position detection switch is operated to stop the drive motor every time the spiral rotates half a turn due to the rotation of the drive motor. In other words, as shown in FIG. 4, this type of product delivery device has a spiral 4 wound around a product storage column 3 which has an opening 1 for loading products on the front and an opening 2 for delivering products at the lower end. A shaft rod 5 is arranged in the vertical direction, and a drive motor 6 connected to the upper end of the shaft rod 5 enables the spiral 4 to rotate. A detection switch 8 is provided, and when the spiral 4 rotates 180 degrees due to the rotation of the drive motor 6 based on a product sending command, the position detection switch 8 is operated by the cam 7, and the position detection switch 8 is driven by the operation of the position detection switch 8. Motor 6 is stopped. On the other hand, Spiral 4
In the middle of the 180 degree rotation, the lowest product is released from the spiral 4 and is sent out falling from the opening 2.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the prior art with this configuration, when the spiral 4 is rotated by the rotation of the drive motor 6, the spiral 4 rotates the product A stored and locked between the spirals. At the same time, since it is slid on the spiral 4 and moved downward, the lower part of the spiral 4 rotates with a delay compared to the upper part due to the load and friction of the product A. That is, since the spiral 4 has a structure that extends long in the vertical direction, it is likely to be twisted in the rotational direction due to the elasticity of the material due to the load and friction of the stored product A, and the upper rotation connected to the drive motor 6. A phenomenon occurs in which the rotation of the lower portion located far from the drive motor 6 is delayed by the amount of twist. Therefore, when the cam 7 provided at the top of the shaft rod 5 operates the position detection switch 8 to stop the drive motor 6, the upper part of the spiral 4, which had been twisted due to rotation, is rotated in the reverse direction to untwist it. Because of this movement, the cam 7 that operated the position detection switch 8 rotated in the opposite direction, and the position detection switch 8 was brought to a position in which it was not operated, which sometimes interfered with the next product delivery operation. That is, in this type of device, the position detection switch 8 is generally connected to the cam 7.
Since the product delivery operation is started on the condition that the position detection switch 8 is operated, there is a drawback that the next product delivery operation cannot be performed if the position detection switch 8 is not operated.

In view of this, the present invention provides a product delivery device that can continue to maintain the operating state of the position detection switch even when the spiral stops rotating and reverse rotation occurs due to twist recovery.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a spiral arrangement in a product storage column in the vertical direction, a drive motor connected to the top of the spiral, and rotation of the drive motor based on a product delivery command. The spiral is rotated in a predetermined manner, and the product that is locked and stored between the helices of the spiral is sent out falling from the lower end during the predetermined rotation. In the vending machine, the drive motor is stopped by a position detecting means, which operates when the position detecting means detects a predetermined rotation of the spiral, and causes the spiral to move within a range not exceeding a detection width by the position detecting means. providing a timer means for delaying the stop of the drive motor to allow rotation of the drive motor;
This configuration allows the position detection means to continuously detect a predetermined rotational position of the spiral due to the reverse rotation due to twisting of the spiral when the drive motor is stopped.

(e) Operation When the spiral rotates and reaches a predetermined position by the drive motor rotated based on the product delivery command, the position detection means provided corresponding to the upper position of the spiral detects the predetermined rotation of the spiral. Detection and operation of timer means. The timer means then stops the drive motor after a predetermined period of time so that the position detection means allows the spiral to rotate within a range that does not exceed the detection width. Therefore, when the drive motor stops, the upper part of the spiral overruns the predetermined rotation position, but the torsion that occurs when the drive motor is driven rotates in the opposite direction when the drive motor stops, resulting in the predetermined rotation. It returns to the position and stops the position detection means in the operating state.

(f) Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 3 show embodiments of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 4, which shows a conventional example, indicate the same or similar items. 3 is a box-shaped product storage column having an opening 1 for loading products on the front and an opening 2 for sending and dropping products at the lower end;
Inside, a shaft rod 5 having a spiral spiral 4 wound around it as a product delivery mechanism is arranged in the vertical direction. And the spiral edges 4 of the spiral 4 on both sides of the shaft 5
The product A can be stored and locked between A and 4A, and the products on both sides are alternately delivered and dropped each time the spiral 4 rotates 180 degrees. Further, the shaft rod 5 has a lower end rotatably supported by a support member 9, and an upper end rotatably supported by the upper wall 3A of the storage column 3. The upper end of the shaft rod 5 is connected to an output shaft 6A of a drive motor 6. Reference numeral 10 denotes permanent magnets extending and fixed to the shaft rod 5 at 180 degree intervals, and a reed switch 11 as a position detection means.
to operate. That is, the magnet 10 is positioned corresponding to the reed switch 11 each time the shaft rod 5 rotates 180 degrees due to rotation of the drive motor 6, and the reed switch 11 is operated. In addition, the reed switch 11 is connected to the magnet 1 as shown in FIG.
It has a predetermined detection width B that operates when 0 is located between the position indicated by the two-dot chain line and the position indicated by the solid line. Reference numeral 12 denotes a door provided to open and close the opening 1 for loading goods, and prevents stored goods from falling off the spiral 4.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of the present invention. Reference numeral 13 is a motor control unit that controls the drive of the drive motor 6, and when a predetermined amount of money is inserted and a product selection button (not shown) is operated. When the sales signal VS generated by this is input, the product delivery command signal 1
4 to drive the drive motor 6, and when a stop signal from the timer means 15 is input, the output of the product delivery command signal 14 is stopped and the drive motor 6 is stopped. The timer means 15 operates when a detection signal is input from the reed switch 11 as a position detection means, and outputs a stop signal to the motor control section 13 after a predetermined period of time. After the magnet 10 that is rotated operates the reed switch 11,
The time required for the reed switch 11 to move within the detection width B is set as a predetermined time. That is, when the reed switch 11 detects the arrival of the magnet 10 due to the end of the predetermined rotation of the spiral 4, it operates, and this rotating magnet 10 moves to the reed switch 1.
A stop signal is output after a predetermined time period that does not exceed one detection width B.

Next, the operation of this configuration will be explained. Product A
By opening the door 12 and opening the opening 1, a space between each spiral side 4A and 4A on both sides of the shaft rod 5
Store and lock each piece. After loading, the door 12 is closed to prevent the product A from falling off. When the specified currency is inserted here and the product selection button is operated, a sales signal is sent.
VS is delivered to the motor control section 13. sale signal
In response to the input of VS, the motor control unit 13 outputs a product delivery command signal 14 to rotate the drive motor 6. Therefore, the drive motor 6 rotates the shaft rod 5,
Spiral 4 starts sending out and dropping product A. By this rotation of the spiral 4, each spiral side 4
Product A stored between A and 4A gradually descends. When the lowest product A is released from the lower end of the spiral 4, the product A is dropped downward from the opening 2 and sent out. Then, the spiral 4 rotates approximately 180 degrees, and the magnet 10 switches to the reed switch 11.
Once reached, the reed switch 11 sends a detection signal to the timer means 15. Therefore, the timer means 15 starts its operation and outputs a stop signal to the motor control section 13 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed during which the magnet 10 moves just before exceeding the detection width B of the reed switch 11. Motor control unit 13 to which this stop signal was input
Then, the output of the product delivery command signal 14 is stopped, the drive motor 6 is stopped, and one sales operation is completed. on the other hand,
The spiral 4 and the shaft rod 5 are twisted due to the load of the product A and the frictional resistance with the product due to the rotation of the spiral 4, and rotate with the lower part delayed compared to the upper part on the drive motor 6 side. move. Therefore, when the drive motor 6 stops, the spiral 4
Then, the twist of the shaft rod 5 is restored due to its elasticity, and the upper part on the drive motor 6 side rotates in the opposite direction by the amount of the twist. Therefore, the magnet 10 that is operating the reed switch 11 also rotates in the reverse direction, but the magnet 10 is rotated by the timer means 15 to near the limit in the forward rotation direction of the detection width B of the reed switch 11. Since it is stopped, it can be located within the detection width B even if it rotates in the opposite direction.

(G) Effects of the Invention The present invention includes a timer means that operates when the position detection means detects a predetermined rotation of the delivery mechanism, and the timer means controls the drive motor within a range that does not exceed the detection width of the position detection means. Since the system is designed to delay stopping, even if the delivery mechanism twists due to elasticity during product delivery operation and reverses rotation due to untwisting after stopping, the predetermined rotational position of the delivery mechanism can be detected. The state detected by the means can be continued, and the next product sales operation can be performed normally.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show embodiments of the present invention; Figure 1 is a side sectional view of the product delivery device, Figure 2 is a plan view of the relationship between the reed switch and the magnet, and Figure 3 is a functional block diagram. , FIG. 4 shows a conventional example. 4...Spiral, 5...Shaft rod, 6...Drive motor,
10...Magnet, 11...Reed switch (position detection means), 15...Timer means, B...Detection width.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A spiral is arranged in the vertical direction in a product storage column, a drive motor is connected to the top of the spiral, and the spiral is rotated a predetermined amount by the rotation of the drive motor based on a product delivery command, and the spiral is moved between the helices of the spiral. The locked and stored product is dropped from the lower end during a predetermined rotation and is sent out, and the drive motor is stopped by a position detection means provided corresponding to the upper position of the spiral to detect the predetermined rotation of the spiral. In the vending machine, the position detecting means operates when detecting a predetermined rotation of the spiral, and delays stopping of the drive motor so as to allow the spiral to rotate within a range not exceeding a detection width by the position detecting means. A product dispensing device for a vending machine, characterized in that a timer means is provided to enable the position detection means to continuously detect a predetermined rotational position of the spiral by reverse rotation due to twisting of the spiral when the drive motor is stopped.